Closure cap and method of making the same



Oct. 26, 1937.

J. c.- GIBBS" CLbSURE CAP AND METHOD OF MAKING THE'SAME Filed June 4, 19:52

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Patented Get. 26, 1937 warren stares meme ea'i'aNT oiFicE John C.

SAME

Gibbs, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Anchor Cap 8: Closure Corporation, Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 4, 1932, Serial No. 615,351

14 Claims.

The present invention relates to the sealing art, and more particularly to closure caps and a method for assembling the parts thereof.

Screw closure caps having continuous or interrupted thread engaging means are used extensively for sealing various products in containers. The screw threads and lugs in metal caps are visible from the exterior of the package and detract from the appearance thereof, which 19 is particularly objectionable where the packages contain cosmetics or other products purchased chiefly by women. Such packages are required to be attractive in appearance to be commercially salable. Caps composed of thermo-plastic materials have been developed for these packages, but they are much more expensive than metal caps, particularly in the larger sizes. The seal is not as efficient and, due to their fragile nature, there is a large percentage of breakage. The latter is objectionable to the packer, and particularly objectionable to the retailer and the user. If a customer inspecting a package breaks the cap, the retailer does not have caps for replacement, and the package becomes unsalable. Double metal screw caps have been devised to overcome the above difiiculties, but they have not been satisfactory. The present invention is an improvement upon these double metal closure caps.

The present invention aims to eliminate the foregoing difficulties and objections by providing a metal closure cap which is attractive in appearance, effective in operation, and which can be manufactured at a low cost. The invention also aims to conceal the threads or container engaging means and to conceal the raw edge of the metal to prevent rust, and to lock the parts securely in position and to prevent relative movement therebetween.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive closure in which the container engaging means are concealed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive metal cap which is attractive in appearance, and particularly useful for application upon fancy or highly decorated packages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, two-piece closure cap adapted to provide a secure seal and, at the same time, conceal the container engaging means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive method for assembling and locking the parts of the improved closure.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about, to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and de-- scription and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein Fig. l is a side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention sealed upon a container;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the parts of the closure before they are assembled;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the closure in inverted position; a

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the closure, taken along the line l-l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the closure, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a slightly different embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the embodiment of Fig. 6 applied to a continuous thread screw cap.

Referring again to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a container I provided with suitable cap engaging threads or lugs I, substantially adjacent to the mouth thereof, adapted to engage and hold a closure cap 4 uponthe container.

The closure cap 4, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, preferably comprises an inner cap 5 for engaging the contain and a suitable outer cover cap or shell 6 adapted to be telescoped over the caps and secured thereto. The purpose of the cover cap is to conceal the structural elements of the closure cap and to enhance the appearance of the closure and package. In this manner, a more artistic two-piece cap may be provided without sacrificing the mechanical utility or emciency of the container engaging means.

In order to accomplish these several objects, the inner cap 5 is preferably in the form of a lug type closure cap, having a cover part I, and a depending skirt 9, rolled into a wire edge or bead III at the lower edge thereof which is thereafter struck radially inwardly at spaced intervals to form lugs or projections I 1 adapted to engage the threads 2 of the container. If desired, the central portion or cover part I may be cut out. It will be noted that by the formation of the lugs ll, recesses I! are provided along the outer periphery of the bead i I. These recesses are utilized for locking the cover cap to the shell 5, as will be described hereafter.

Suitable corrugations ll may be provided in the skirt 8 of the inner cap to facilitate the manufacture of the cap and to assist in holding suitable sealing means within the shell and adjacent to the cover part I and also to assist in obtaining a snug fit between the inner cap and outer shell. The sealing means may comprise an impervious disc ii, of oil paper, tin foil or the like, adapted to effect a seal at the mouth of the container, and a compressible disc ii, of material such as cardboard, adapted to serve as a cushion for the disc ii to hold it resiliently in contact with the container.

The cover cap 8, which is adapted to be te1escoped about the inner cap 5 described above. preferably comprises a substantially domeshaped cover part I! and a depending skirt [9, of suflicient depth and diameter to receive the skirt 9 of the cap 5. Preferably, the members 5 and 6 are assembled by nesting the shell I within the cover cap and then folding the lower edge of the outer skirt l9 radially inwardly so that an inclined or horizontal portion 20 is provided, which engages the wire edge ll of the inner cap, as shown in Fig. 4. The portions of the skirt I 9 of the outer cap, adjacent the recesses i2 and lugs il in the inner cap, are pressed further radially inwardly and slightly upwardly to provide projections or depressions 2i in the zone 20 of the outer cap (see Fig. 5). These depressions 2i extend into the recesses, ofthe cap 5 and lock the inner cap and outer shell to prevent relative rotation or movement thereof. The in dentations II are not sumciently deep to mar the appearance of the assembled cap and only flll a portion of the lug recess, so that the resiliency of the lugs is not impaired. A slight .depression is sufllcient to provide a positive and secure lock between the two parts of the closure. The inturned edge 20 conceals the raw edge of the outer cap and prevents rust, which would spoilv the appearance of the article. The manufacturing operations necessary to form the indentations 2| and inturned edge 20 do not mar the appearance or disrupt the lacquer coating which, to

save expense, is applied to the flat sheets of metal from which the .caps are made. The inclined orhorizontal ledge 2. not only facilitates the assembly of parts 5 and l as a unit, but also enhances the appearance of the cap.

In Fig. 6; there is illustrated a modification of the present invention, wherein the container engaging cap is assembled within the cover cap by turning the lower portion of the skirt i9 into a wire edge or bead 22. The upper part of the bead portion on the'inside of the cap is adapted to abut firmly against the bottom portion of the wire edge ill of the skirt 9 to hold the members I and 6 rigidly in position. In this construction, the raw edge at the bottom of the skirt of the outer cap is completely concealed so that rust is prevented by protecting the raw edge of the cut metal blank.

'In Fig. 7, the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is shown applied to a continuous thread cap having threads 23 for engaging cooperating threads on a container.

The liners i5 and I may be inserted before or after the assembling operation and are then held in position by the lugs Ii and corrugations I, manually or by means of any suitable machinery.

In the manufacture and assembly of the closure cap 4, illustrated in the preferred embodiment, the inner cap 5 and the cover cap 6 may be formed by the usual manufacturing operations and thereafter loosely assembled by hand or by suitable automatic machinery. It will be noted that after the cover is inserted within the shell, the skirt of the outer cap is slightly longer than the skirt of the inner cap. By presenting the cover and shell, as assembled, to suitable spinning rolls, chucks, or other cap forming mechanism, the lower edge, or protruding portion 20, of the outer skirt i9 is rolled or pressed inwardly to engage the wire edge III of the inner skirt 9. As shown in Fig. 5, the recesses i2 formed by the projections ii permit portions of the zone 20 to be pressed further inwardly to form the projections 2i, whereby the shell 5 and the cover cap I are locked against relative movement therebetween. Preferably, the lug recesses I! are only partially filled with the projections 2i, whereby the lugs I i retain their flexibility.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a double closure cap having substantially invisible container engaging means. A cover cap is telescoped about, and locked to, a container engaging inner cap in a simple and eifective manner. The inclined ledge 20, or bead 22, further enhances the appearanceof the loweredge of the cap and prevents corrosion. By reason of the fact that the material of. the cover cap is not subjected to severe mechanical operations, the lacqueris not marred and more artistic designs may be utilized. When the parts of the closure are assembled, they cannot rotate or move with respect to each other. Closures constructed according to the present invention can readily withstand the rough usage to which they may be subjected. I

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages,-it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an inner member having a skirt portion provided with a plurality of spaced inwardly extending container thread engaging means, and an outer cap having a top portion and a skirt portion adapted to receive said inner member, portions of the lower edge of said outer cap skirt being pressed inwardly and upwardly to register and lock with said container thread engaging means on the inner member to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of an inner closure cap having a depending skirt provided with a wire edge at the bottom of. the skirt and a plurality of spaced lugs formed from said edge, and an outer cover cap having a cover portionand a depending skirt adapted to receive said closure cap, portions of the skirt of said outer cover cap being forced into locking engagement with the recesses formed by said lugs.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cap having a depending skirt provided with a wire edge and inwardly extending thread engaging projections formed in said wire edge, and a second cap having a skirt of greater length and diameter than the skirt of said first cap, the lower edge of the skirt of. said second cap being bent inwardly to engage substantially the lower side of the wire edge of said first skirt, and struck inwardly at the projections in the wire edge of said first cap to lock the two caps against relative movement.

4. In a closure cap of the class described, the combination of an inner cap having a skirt portion provided with a plurality of spaced container engaging lugs at the lower edge thereof, and an outer cap having a depending skirt adapted to enclose the inner cap, said depending skirt being bent inwardly beneath the bottom of the inner cap and being forced inwardly and upwardly at the lug to lock with the inner cap.

5. In a closure cap of the class described, the combination of a, cap having a depending skirt provided with a wire edge, and inwardly extending container engaging lugs in said wire edge forming recesses, and a second cap having a skirt of greater length and diameter than the skirt of. said first cap, the lower edge of the skirt of said second cap being bent upwardly and inwardly at portions to register with and partially fill said lug recesses in said first cap.

6. The method of assembling an outer cover cap and an inner closure cap provided with a plurality of thread engaging lugs forming recesses in the skirt thereof, which method comprises nesting said closure cap within said cover cap, bending the free edge of the skirt of said cover cap into engagement with the lower edge of said closure cap and pressing portions of the free edge of said skirt upwardly into locking engagement with said recesses while said free edge is bent inwardly to engage the lower edge of the inner cap.

'7. The method of assembling inner and outer closure caps, said inner cap having a rolled lower edge with symmetrically spaced container engaging lugs therein forming recesses in the exterior of the cap at the bottom thereof, which method comprises inserting the inner capwithin the outer cap, bending the lower edge of the outer cap inwardly to envelop the lower edge of the inner cap, and pressing portions of the in-' wardly bent edge of the outer cap upwardly into the recesses in the inner cap to lock the inner and outer caps relative to each other.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of an inner member having a substantially cylindrical portion provided at substantially its lower edge with a plurality of spaced radially inwardly extending container thread engaging lugs forming recesses at the lower edge thereof, and an outer cap having a top portion and a skirt portion, the lower edge of the skirt portion of said outer cap being bent upwardly and inwardly at portions to register with the lug recesses in said inner member.

9. In a closure cap of the class described, the

combination of an inner member having a depending skirt provided with a wire edge at its lower edge and inwardly extending container engaging lugs in the wire edge forming recesses, and an outer cap having a substantially smooth cover portion and depending skirt, the lower edge of the depending skirt of said outer cap being bent upwardly and inwardly at portions to register with and partially fill the lug recesses in said inner member.

10. In a closure cap of the class described, the combination of an inner member having a skirt portion provided at the lower edge with a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially inwardly extending thread engaging lugs, and an outer cap having a top portion and a depending skirt telescoped over said member, the lower edge of said cap skirt being extended inwardly to engage the lower edge 01' the skirt portion of said inner member to assemble said member and cap, and portions of the lower edge of said cap skirt being pressed upwardly at said lugs to prevent relative rotation between said inner member and outer cap.

11. A closure including an inner shell and an outer shell, each having a top and a depending skirt, the skirt oi the inner shell having threads and an out-curled head at its lower edge, the skirt of the outer shell being smooth throughout and having a complete in-curled bead on its lower edge, the bead on the outer shell being arranged below the bead on the inner shell and the two opposed convex surfaces of the two beads being in resilient abutting relation.

12. A closure including an inner shell having threads and a bead substantially circular in cross-section, and an outer shell smooth throughout and having a bead substantially circular in cross-section,-the second-mentioned bead being below the first-mentioned bead, the two beads being in substantially vertical alignment and the opposed convex surfaces of the two beads being in resilient abutting relation.

13. A closure including an out-curled conventional screw cap with a bead at its lower edge, a shell having a skirt arranged over the screw cap, said skirt being curled inwardly upon itself to form a complete bead below the first-mentioned bead, the oppositely curved surfaces of the two beads being in resilient engagement.

14. A closure including an inner shell having a skirt and an outer shell having a skirt, threads formed in the'inner skirt, an out-curled bead substantially circular in cross-section at the bottom of the inner skirt, an in-curled bead substantially circular in cross-section at the bottom of the outer skirt below the first-mentioned bead, the oppositely curved surfaces of the two beads being in resilient engagement and the inner side of the lower bead being outwardly of said threads.

JOHN C. GIBBS. 

